How To Repair Adobe Illustrator File

If you use Adobe Illustrator, you are likely familiar with the annoyance of dealing with a corrupted or damaged file. This can result in lost time and delays in your project. However, there are various approaches you can take to fix an Adobe Illustrator file. In this blog post, we will walk you through some of the most successful strategies.

Method 1: Use Adobe Illustrator’s Automatic Recovery Feature

Adobe Illustrator has an in-built recovery feature which prompts the software to automatically backup files in case of a crash or an unexpected shutdown. In theory, you should be able to retrieve your unsaved work the next time you launch Illustrator.

Method 2: Open the .AI File as a .PDF

You can try to open the corrupted Illustrator file as a .PDF. To do this, in Adobe Reader, navigate to File > Open and select your .AI file. If it opens successfully, you can re-save it as a new .AI file.

Method 3: Try to Open the File in Another Graphic Software

Another option is to try and open the corrupt file in another graphic software like CorelDRAW or Sketch. If one of these programs can open the file, you can then re-save and try to open it in Illustrator again.

Method 4: Use a File Repair Tool

If all else fails, you can use a file repair tool. There are many available, some of which are specifically designed to fix Illustrator files. Be aware though, that these tools should be used as a last resort as they can sometimes change the formatting of your file.

// Example of a file repair tool command:
repairTool inputFile.ai outputFile.ai

Remember to always make regular backups of your work to prevent loss of data. If you find yourself dealing with a corrupted Adobe Illustrator file, don’t panic – use the above techniques and you should be able to retrieve your work.

If these methods don’t work for you, it’s advisable to reach out to Adobe Support for further assistance.